News Roundup for December 31, 2025
J Street will not publish News Roundups on January 1 or January 2 in observance of the New Year. Regular content will resume on Monday, January 5. We wish you all a happy, healthy and safe 2026.
ICYMI: Breaking down the Trump-Netanyahu meeting, Word on the Street
J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami and Chief Policy Officer Ilan Goldenberg unpacked Monday’s Trump-Bibi meeting on this week’s Word on the Street Live.
Gaza Humanitarian Deterioration of Serious Concern, Say UK, Canada, France and Others, Reuters
“The statement, published online by the British Foreign Office, said Israel should allow non-governmental organisations to work in Israel in a sustained and predictable way, and ensure the U.N. could continue its work in the Palestinian enclave.”
Netanyahu Raised Possible “Round 2” Strikes on Iran With Trump, Axios
“Trump said after the meeting that if Iran tries to rebuild its nuclear program, the U.S. will destroy it again. He also said he’d prefer to strike a nuclear deal with Tehran.”
Gaza Aid Groups Face Suspensions Under New Israeli Rules, New York Times
“Israel’s decision to act against the groups — among them Doctors Without Borders — at a time of humanitarian crisis in Gaza drew objections from the international community.”
Iranian Protests Sparked by Economic Woes Quickly Spread Across Country, Washington Post
“Iranians have struggled for years with raging inflation, anemic economic growth and international isolation, largely because of mismanagement, corruption and sanctions imposed by the United States and other countries over Iran’s nuclear program.”
9th Congressional District Candidate Bruce Leon Dropping Out of Democratic Primary After AIPAC Pressure, Chicago Tribune
“The final straw for Leon came this week, after AIPAC successfully pressured leaders within his own Orthodox Jewish community to also push him to the sidelines, Leon told the Tribune.”
Epstein, Qatargate Scandals: Trump, Netanyahu Fight Accountability as Elections Loom, Jerusalem Post
J Street leader Sebastian Levi writes, “Netanyahu and Trump are, in many respects, political twins. As masters at ruling through resentment and a sense of revenge, they can rely on a loyal base that forgives their excesses. Their cynicism allows them to ride the same popular resentment and thirst for revenge, despite personal trajectories that should have prevented them from doing so.”
Israel Recognizes Somaliland: The Right Move, for the Wrong Reasons, Haaretz
Dahlia Scheindlin writes, “Israel is certainly not concerned by the contradiction of recognizing a unilaterally declared state for the second time (after recognizing Kosovo in 2020), while hermetically rejecting all international recognition of Palestine.”
